The investigation covers public procurement procedures announced and finalized from July 2015 until 20 January 2017. July 2015 is when the municipalities emerging from the new administrative and territorial reform. Business companies or economic operators refer to all those registered as natural persons or business companies. Women-owned companies refer to companies, where women have shares or quotas. Contracts signed with municipalities or local government units refer to contracts awarded as a result of a public procurement procedure by municipalities, their subordinate institutions, or companies, where local government has shares or quotas.
The main purpose of this investigation was to identify companies owned or managed by women, and their weight in the process of distribution of public money in exchange for works, supplies, or public services.
Out of 4820 tenders in total, women-owned companies have been awarded 256 contracts (or 5% of the total). These companies seem to be more efficient in using public money. However, this figure is much smaller than the percentage of companies owned or managed by women at the national level (31.3 %).
The total value of contracts awarded to women-owned companies was ALL 731 million for the reporting period, or just 3.2% of the total awarded value.
What is easily noticed is that the largest value is awarded to companies, which have at least one women shareholder, but whose ownership is shared between husband and wife, or where husbands are the ones, who manage the business. This is an indication of the minimum contracting power of women-owned companies in relation to municipalities.
Ranking by contract value of the five largest companies, including at least one women shareholder, July 2015-January 2017
Source: INSTAT; PPA, and NRC
Comments and Analysis: Open Data Albania
The largest contracted company for public works and other services is ‘Vëllezërit Hysa’ SHPK (Hysa Brothers), whose main area of activity is construction. The company was established in 2001. Its seat is in Elbasan, and 40% of its shares are owned by a woman, Flutura Hysa, who is actually the biggest shareholder (with the two others owning 30% of the shares each). During July 2015-January 2017, this company is awarded ALL 219 million in the municipalities of Cërrik and Elbasan. Its main project in Cërrik was the ‘Requalification of the center of the town of Cërrik, first Lot – financed for 2 years by the state budge’ by a winning value of ALL 116.6 million or 66% of the funds awarded altogether by the Municipality of Cërrik for the reporting period. In the Municipality of Elbasan, ‘Vëllezërit Hysa’ has signed a contract for ‘Adjustment and Asphaltation of Broshka Road and Bridge on Shkumbini River – Financed by the State Budget’. According to its financial tables, the company had an annual turnover of ALL 787 million in 2015.
The second largest company owned by a woman is Arifaj SHPK. Its main activity is construction and its seat is in Tirana. The company is established in 1997. In 2007, all of its shares were acquired by Rezarta Bokçiu. During the reporting period, the company was awarded several contracts by the Municipality of Tirana, Durrës, Vlorë, and Pukë for reconstruction of schools, roads, bridges, and a gym in Puka for ALL 124 million. In 2015, the company declared an annual turnover of ALL 744 million. This company has been awarded even larger contracts before 2015. The transactions in favor of the company from 1 January 2015 until 1 January 2017 amount to ALL 1.51 billion.
The third company in the list is AEK Munella, with its seat in Lezha, operating in construction, established since 1999. From 2000, the company’s quotas are entirely owned by Dava Kaza (the company’s administrator is Zef Kaza). The company has been awarded numerous contracts in the amount of ALL 61 million in total, mainly for reconstructing roads, water supply plants, and for building dams. According to its financial tables for 2015, the company’s annual turnover was ALL 29 million, which means that the public contracts awarded by the municipality have significantly increased the company’s profit in 2016, when it signed a contract of ALL 30 million for ‘Rehabilitating the irrigation network for the water collector Malaj – 2 (ongoing)’.
The forth company is the Shkodra-based NIKA, established in 1999, operating mainly in trade and construction design. Shpresa Nika is both the owner of the company’s 100% quota and its administrator. The company has signed public contracts with the municipalities of Kurbin, Lezhë, and Shkodër. The company’s annual turnover for 2015 was ALL 34 million.
Fifth comes Kajmaku, a company where Merita Kajmaku owns 51% of the quota (the rest is owned by Agim Kajmaku). The company’s seat is in Durrës. During the reporting period, the company has signed contracts with the municipalities in the amount of ALL 18 million.
Source: INSTAT; PPA, and NRC
Comments and Analysis: Open Data Albania
Other women-owned companies have signed public contracts with the local government units for July 2015-January 2017 for less than ALL 18 million. A full list of the largest contracted companies, which have at least one woman shareholder, is given below by order of contract value.
Ranking of the 50 largest women owned or co-owned companies contracted by municipalities during July 2015-January 2017
Source: INSTAT; PPA, and NRC
Comments and Analysis: Open Data Albania
This article is published in the framework of the ‘Monitoring Municipality Clients in Public Contracts’Project, which is supported by LevizAlbania – For a stronger local democracy.
Contributed by: R.E